The Osun State Government has said it will obtain an official copy of the U.S. court judgment that sentenced Oba Joseph Oloyede, the Apetumodu of Ipetumodu, for fraud involving COVID-19 relief funds, before deciding on any action regarding the traditional stool.
Mr. Dosu Babatunde, the State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, emphasized on Wednesday that the government would not act on social media reports alone.
“While it may be true that the monarch has been convicted and jailed, we have no official record at this time,” Babatunde said. “We will obtain a Certified True Copy of the judgment. After reviewing it, the government will determine the appropriate next steps. We cannot rely on Facebook posts or unverified stories for such a serious matter.”
Oba Oloyede, 62, a dual citizen of Nigeria and the United States, was sentenced on Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Christopher A. Boyko to 56 months in prison. He was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release and pay restitution totaling $4,408,543.38.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio reported that the monarch forfeited his Medina, Ohio home, purchased with proceeds from the fraud, as well as $96,006.89 connected to the scheme. He was found guilty of leading a conspiracy to exploit COVID-19 emergency loans intended for struggling small businesses.
